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St. Stephen Scores First Championship

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By PAUL CATALA pcatala@mediageneral.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 27, 2009

When St. Stephen Catholic School's varsity and junior varsity soccer team began the 2008 season, they set out, understandibly, to do well.

They accomplished more than just well, however. They turned out to be the best, earning the school its first, first-place finish for any of its five inter-scholastic sports teams in the school's eight-year history.

St. Stephens, 10424 Saint Stephen Circle, is a private Catholic school comprised of about 370 students, with classes from early childhood to eighth grade. The junior varsity soccer team is made up of fifth- and sixth-graders and the varsity is seventh- and eighth-grades.

Each year, St. Stephen fields teams in soccer, basketball, flag football, softball and cross country running.

Managed by junior varsity coaches Freddy Rodriguez and Ray Rush and varsity coach Dan Chappell, together the soccer teams won all but two matches. Oct. 28, the varsity squad lost 3-0 to Brandon Academy, before rolling onto eight consecutive victories, finishing the season with a 9-1 record. Oct. 30, the JV team lost to Foundation Christian Academy, their only loss of the season.

Not only did the St. Stephen Mustangs varsity team win, they won big, beating their opponents by a cumulative score of 42 goals to 8 goals over the course of the season.

St. Stephen plays in the Brandon Christian Academy League (B-CAL), made up of 14 teams. Of those, the top eight schools make it into tournament play based on their regular season record.

Among the varsity squad victories was a 7-0 victory over Foundation Christian Academy Oct. 30; 8-0 versus Family of Christ Nov. 5; and a 9-1 win against Florida Christian Academy Nov. 13.

First-year varsity head coach Dan Chappell - whose son, Cody, played for the championship team - said the lopsided match scores allowed him to teach his 14 players, made up of boys and girls, some valuable lessons in being humble.

"I had to make sure they learned not to gloat; just score goals and go back for the kickoff," said Chappell, a Riverview resident who grew up playing club and high school soccer in New York. "I told them to be respectful, but I did let them celebrate after the last game and championship."

The varsity Mustangs won the B-CAL three-day tournament Dec. 16, avenging the loss to Brandon Academy by beating them 2-1 in the final on St. Stephen's soccer pitch.

Of all the varsity players, Chappell said only three - Ajay Sequeira, Cody Larson and Chappell's son, Shawn - had any competitive soccer club experience.

Eighth-grader forward Ajay Sequeira, one of three Mustang players with competitive soccer club experience, said it was the coaching that made the team gel.

"Our coach is really good. He's focused and real motivating and he brought a lot of experience to the team," said Sequeira, 13, who played for St. Stephen for three years. "We really had teamwork and everyone knew their positions and supported each other."

St. Stephen Athletic Director Linda Bramble, in her fifth year with the school, said all the students and staff are thrilled with the soccer teams' finishes. She said it was nice to have new trophies to add to the school's trophy case.

"It's cool; it was kind of a minor miracle. I mean, look how long it took to happen" she said. "It was a glorious moment for us all."

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